Post #2

Richard's main struggle throughout Black Boy is his hunger. Hunger in Black Boy means both the literal and figurative sense of the word. Literally, Richard is hungry due to the fact that his family is so poor. This hunger has a negative effect on Richard. For example, when his father first leaves, Richard is consumed with physical hunger and pain. He laments, "Whenever I would begged for food now my mother would poor me a cup of tea which would still the clamor in my stomach for a moment or two; but a little later I would feel hunger nudging my ribs, twisting my empty guts until they ached." (14-15) The lack of food makes Richard miserable and has a negative effect on his relationship with his family. The hunger Richard feels because he is so poor represents all of his physical suffering
While Richard literally is hungry, he is also hungry in the figurative sense. From early on we find that Richard is hungry for knowledge. Even as a young boy we see that Richard is very bright, however he does not have access to many resources. He grasps at any opportunity to find knowledge. When Richard finds out that Ella was reading a novel he presses her to share literature with him (38). This is quite astonishing that at such a young age, Richard is so curious and hungry to learn. However the learning is suppressed when his grandmother finds out about him reading books and once again he is left hungry. Though it is not physical pain, his deprivation from education leaves Richard hungry.
Finally, Richard is also hungry for freedom. After becoming valedictorian, Richard discovers he must give a speech. However, he is not allowed to give the speech he wrote. While people become more critical of him, Richard becomes fed up with the endless literature and desperately craves freedom. He is so hungry for that freedom that he declares, "I was hating my environment more each day. As soon as school was over, I would get a job, save money, and leave"(177). Richard finds that it is necessary to find freedom in order to cure his endless hunger. While Richards hunger is both physical and emotional, it all causes him terrible pain that must be ended.